Spring-fork for cycles, motor-cycles, and the like.



A. DREW, DECD. E. A. OSBORNE a s. mm), EXECUTORS.

FOR CYCLES, MOTOR CYCLES, AND APPLlCATlON HLED-AUG.31| 1914.

THE LIKE.

SPRING FORK 4 SHEETS-SHET 1.

Patented Apr. 24

wagon;

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A. DREW. DECD. E. A. OSBORNE & s. NlELD, EXECUTORS.

SPRING FORK FOR CYCLES, MOTOR CYCLES, AND THE LIKE. APPLlCATlON FILEDAUG.31.1914- 1,223,572, Patented Apr. 24,1917.

4 $HEET$-SHEET 2.

A. DREW, DECD.

E. A. OSBORNE a 5, man), EXECUTORS- SPRING FORK FOR CYCLES, MOTORCYCLES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.31. 19144- Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. DREW, DECD. E. A. ossonua & s. mun, EXECUTORS.

SPRXNG FORK FOR CYCLES, MOTOR CYCLES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I, 1914. 1,223,572. Patented Apr. 24,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

snare rarnnr rites.

ARTHUR DREW, DECEASED, BY EDITH A. OSBORNE AND SAMUEL NIELD, EXECUTORS,

BOTH OE WY'I'HALL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS OE ONE-HALF T0 VTILLIAM HOLDEROSBORNE AND ONE-HALF TO EDITH AUGUSTA OSBORNE, BOTH OF WYTI-IALL.

ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.-

Application filed August 31, 1914. Serial No. 859,498.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDITH AUGUSTA Os- BORNE, subject of the Kingdom ofGreat Britain, residing at Rostrevor, Lea Green Lane, Grimes Hill,Wythall, in the district of Bromsgrove, in the county of WVorcester,England, and SAMUEL NIELD, subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain,residing at The Manse, VVythall aforesaid, are the sole executors of thelast will and testament, with a codicil thereto, of ARTHUR Dnnw,deceased, and that the said ARTHUR Dnnw did invent certain new anduseful Improvements in or Relating to Spring-Forks for Cycles, Motor-Cycles, and the like; and we hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention comprises certain improvements in or relating to springforks for cycles, motor cycles, and the like, and is of the type inwhich the fork is adapted to move in relation to the head by virtue of aparallelogrammic mechanism, or mechanism comprising or involving a linkor system of links associated with the crown or lower extremity of thesteering head, and a second link or system of links associated with theupper extremity of the steering head, a resilient medium or media beingincorporated to control the movement of the fork in re lation to thesteering head.

According to the present invention, the lower or upper link or links isor are coupled to, and have a pivotal movement in relation to, anoscillatory member adapted itself to have a pivotal movement about anaxis disposed at a position which, while being removed from the axis ofpivotal connection between the link or links and oscillatory member, isnear to the end of the parallelogrammic mechanism at which theconnection of the link or links with the oscillatory member occurs.

By the arrangement according to the present invention, we obtain a highstandard of lateral rigidity and efiiciency, and generally increase andimprove the utility and construction of the fork.

In order that this invention may be readily understood and more easilycarried into practice, reference may be had to the explanatory foursheets of drawings, upon which Figures 1 and 2 illustrate respectivelyin side and front elevations one form of fork according to the presentinvention. 4

Figs. 3 to 10 illustrate in side elevation eight different modificationsof the fork according to the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a tenthform of mecha-.

DISlTl embodying the invention.

F lg. 12 is a top plan View of the transverse strut and the oscillatingmember used in carrying out the invention, the same being shown asremoved from Fig. 11. v

F ig. 13 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1?. taken on thelines 12 of Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 14 is an elevational View of the parts shown in Fig. 12 taken inthe direction at right angles to Fig. 18.

In a convenient embodiment of the present invention, the fork is of thegirder type having supplementary struts a disposed in front of the mainblades 7), which latter as well as the supplementary struts extend to aposition at or near the upper extremity of the steering head 6. Suchfork is connected at its upper extremity to the upper extremity of thesteering head by two links 0, while two further links (Z connect thelower extremity of the steering head with an oscillating member f whichis mounted on a pivot 9 installed transversely in the fork.Advantageously at a suitable position between top and bottom of thefork, struts h or connecting elements connect the rear or main blades ofthe fork with the front or supplementary struts of the fork, and suchconnecting struts h each carry, at a position intermec iate to thesupplementary struts and main blades of the fork, the one end of aspindle 9, around the central part of which spindle the oscillatingmember f is mounted. Such oscillating member f has an elongated bearingalong the central part of its transverse spindle g in such a manner thatlateral movement of the oscillating member 7 is effectivelycounteracted. For this purpose, in the alternative arrangement shown inFigs. l1, 12, 13 and 14, in.

stead of having an elongated bearing part extending throughoutsubstantially the entire length of the central part of its carrierspindle, the oscillating member f may be furnished with two bearingmembers 7, f one associated with each end of its carrier spindle g, sothat while the oscillating member is enabled to freely operate in itsproper movement, any tendency to displace it laterally or out of itsproper "axis is effectively counteracted by the distribution of itsbearing across the width of the fork. The oscillating member 7 carries aspindle j to which the lower links d of the fork are pivoted, so thatone movement of the fork may take place by virtue of the oscillation ofthe links in relation to their pivot carried by the oscillating member,while another movement of the fork may take place by virtue of theoscillation of the member 7 carrying the spindle j to which the linksare pivoted. The movement of the oscillating member f may be controlledby a spring or springs m or other resilient members, which latter may beincorporated in any suitable manner, and may advantageously be adaptedto act in compression. The oscillating member may be comprised of twoelongated tubuli connected together by two or any suitable number ofintegral connecting portions, the one tubulus being adapted to receivethe spindle g, and the other tubulus being adapted to receive thespindle for the links, the forward extremities of the links beingadapted to occupy positions adjacent to the extremities of such othertubulus, spring washers being however incorporated if desired betweenthe links and the ends of the tubulus. The oscillating member may befurnished with arms Z which, at their projecting extremities, areconnected to the coiled springs m, which latter at their otherextremities are connected to any suitable part, such as a transversemember a of the fork. Rubber cushions or a pneumatic device or devicesmay, however, be used in lieu of the springs. The position or method ofincorporation of the springs or resilient medium or media may be variedconsiderably.

Instead of being carried by an oscillating member, the front spindle ofthe lower links of the fork, may, if desired, be mounted in any othersuitable manner permitting of its movement in relation to the fork, suchmovement being controlled by a resilient medium or media.

The springs or resilient members for controlling the ordinary movementof the fork in relation to the steering head may be arranged orincorporated in any suitable manner, as for instance at a positionunderneath the head or between the latter and rearward projectionsprovided upon the rear or main blades of the fork.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 difiers from the modification shown inFig. 1 in that the oscillatory member 7 extends upwardly from its pointof oscillation being connected at its upper extremity to the springswhich extend rearwardly, the lower links being connected in such anarrangement to the oscillatory member at a position intermediate itsends.

Fig. 4 illustrates an arrangement in which the oscillatory member has aforwardly extending arm or arms connected to springs disposed above saidarm. Fig. 5 illustrates a modification in which a tension spring orsprings is or are employed, said tension spring or springs beingemployed in connection with a rearwardly extending arm or arms of theoscillatory member. Fig. 6 illustrates the application of a tensionspring or springs to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 7illustrates a modification in which a leaf spring is used in lieu of thecoiled spring shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 illustrates a modification inwhich both compression and tension springs are employed, the compressionsprings being used as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the tension springsbeing used as shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 illustrates the application of atension spring or springs to the arrangement shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 10illustrates an arrangement employed in connection with the upper links,and in which said links are connected to the oscillatory member, whichlatter has an arm or arms connected with a spring or springs adapted toact in compression. Any or all of the modifications may be employed inconnection with the upper links of the fork. In Figs. 1, 2, 6, 8 and 11,the pivot of the oscillatory member is above the pivot of connection ofsuch oscillatory member with the links, whereas in Figs. 3, 1, 5, 7 9and 10 the pivot of such oscillatory member is below such point of itspivotal connection with the links.

hat we claim as the invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spring supporting device for the front wheels of cycles and thelike comprising in combination a steering head, a fork, a link pivotallysupported from the fork and connected to the lower extremity of thesteering head, a second link pivotally connected to the fork and to theupper extrem ity of the steering head, said head, and fork links forminga parallelogrammic mechanism, a member having a pivotal connection withone of said links and which is itself pivotally movable about an axiswhich is near to the end of the parallelogrammic mechanism at which theconnection of the link with the oscillatorymember occurs, but which isnot coincident with the axis of pivotal connection between the link andoscillatory means for resisting the upward movement of the fork.

2. 'A spring supporting device for the front wheel of cycles'and thelike comprising in combination a steering head, .a fork, a linkpivotally supported from the fork and connected to the lower extremityof the steering head, a second link pivotally connected to the fork andto the upper eX- tremity of the steering head, said head, fork and linksforming a parallelogrammic mechanism, a member having a pivotalconnection with one of said links and which is itself pivotally movableabout an axis which is near to the end of the parallelogrammic member,and resilient mechanism at which the connection of the link with themember occurs but which is not coincident with the axis of pivotal connection between the link and oscillatory member, resilient means forresisting the upward movement of said fork, and resilient means forresisting the motion of said member which occurs at the time of theupward movement of said fork.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

E. A. OSBORNE. S. NIELD. Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. BROWN, HoLLIs F. BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G.

